Emotionless Experiment
by ForciblySilent
Summary: She was nothing but an experiment; a girl raised to kill. Now she is a state alchemist, trying to make amends for her past by deleting any sign of its existence... will she reach this goal before the military finds out about her crimes?
1. Chapter 1

**I like to think Elena thinks in a broken, strange pattern, and that's what brought about this. She tries to be organized, but I think even for her it's a struggle. **

**So here's the latest redo of Elena's story. It's the only one I'm never proud of; I have no idea how many times I'm going to start rewriting it. **

**Heehee... yeah... this is the third time... **

"_Elena, stop it; you don't have to do this!" The woman cries as she stares at me, her eyes wide in fear and sympathy. I take in her form silently, tears pouring down my cheeks as well. She's beautiful, as always, with her Xingese features and general caring aura. I only wish that my last memories of her could have her wearing a smile rather than tears. _

_Blood splatters over me, and I can faintly hear a child's crying in the distance. I know the child somehow, from somewhere, and I long to comfort her, but no matter how hard I look I can't find her. _

_I am flung from my stool suddenly, and hit the ground hard. A terrorizing, whistled tune starts as the blonde-haired man called my father kicks me. "You're pathetic, Elena!" He yells over the whistling, which is gradually rising in volume. "Pathetic!" He kicks me again and continues to rant, eventually drowned out by that horrid tune. And just as the whistling reaches ear-splitting volume—_

The young woman awakens suddenly, sitting upright in her bed. She pushes long strands of hair out of her face and glances out the window calmly. Yet again, she has woken before the sun; the sky has only just begun to turn pink. She grabs a brush and runs it through her knotted hair as she watches the sun rise, before heading downstairs and fixing herself a cup of coffee. After finishing it, she continues on with her regular morning ritual, showering and dressing before brushing her teeth.

As the girl finishes preparing for the day ahead of her, she glances up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her straight hair is long and dark, reaching about mid-waist with straight, neat bangs. A glaring red streak runs directly through the middle of her hair, undismissable and clashing greatly with the blank, careless expression she wears. In comparison to her hair, her skin is actually quite pale, giving her the look of a person who stays indoors constantly. Her bright blue eyes denote her Amestrian roots. She's a fine young woman, but it's not something she dwells upon.

Her uniform is crisp and clean; ironed to perfection. A person like her would hardly wear it any other way. The military jacket and long blue pants tucked into boots, along with the odd cape, complete her ensemble. She's just another state alchemist, really, and the thought makes her sigh, giving a slight shrug. She shoves her hands into her pockets and heads to work without another second thought.

Her name is Elena Bloodstone, and she is the Stone Blood Alchemist. Her most memorable trait is that she has no traits; she is completely emotionless towards everyone and everything around her. Her coworkers have, naturally, put her to the test, sic'ing Major Armstrong and Lieutenant Colonel Hughes on her in turn. Not once has either caused her to so much as bat an eye. Not even her leading officer, Colonel Roy Mustang, has been able to crack her. Thus, she has been labeled Stone Blood the stone-faced, though she has never seemed to notice these rumors, not even when they are brought up around her.

Today, she quickly learns, will be a slow day. Colonel Mustang has no new jobs to send her on, and for her that's just fine. Elena doesn't care for the jobs; she is here for one reason only as it is. Therefore, the young alchemist heads towards the Central Library, restricted to all but state alchemists and other government officials.

The young state alchemist is surprised and perhaps even a bit relieved to find that for once the library is empty, except for her. She walked through the archives with nearly silent footsteps, scanning the spines for one of two names. The first one she finds takes only minutes. It's a recipe book by Daniel Bloodstone, and she pulls it from its shelf without a second thought, moving on. About an hour later, she has found two more by the same man, and another by Solf Kimblee. Deciding she should stop before she has too many books to carry, she heads towards the library doors.

Then, suddenly someone sneezes. Following that is a muffled curse, as though they had not wanted to be heard. She freezes in her steps. Someone has been here after all? Part of her scoffs at the very idea; a smaller part, however, raises red flags. It is for this small suspicion that she goes to investigate.

She catches a glimpse of him before expected. It's just a glance, but the flash of obsidian-black hair that she catches between bookshelves is enough to cause her to stare in surprise.

"_Elena, can you come and play?" The seven year old boy with green eyes and obsidian hair grins at me cheerfully. He's always so cheerful. I get my father's permission and the boy grabs my gloved hand, dragging me off to his front yard. He's giggling about something he wants to show me. I come along, simply because it's kind of nice seeing that smile after another horrible test. _

There's no way, Elena decides. He may look similar to the boy from her childhood, but she refuses to accept that this could actually be him. He never became a state alchemist, and there's no way he's come back, not since he left with that stranger to Rush Valley. She approaches this familiar-looking stranger.

"Sir, are you supposed to be here?" She asks. Her voice is a monotone, emotionless and blank, and she's proud of herself for keeping it in its usual tone even as her heart pounds so erratically, telling her the truth that she's scared to admit.

The man turns to her, revealing eyes like emeralds. He smiles slightly, and the burst of warm familiarity fills her. It really is him.

_He's drawn something in the sand. It looks like… no way, though, there's no way he can do that. Surely not him too. "Watch this!" My friend beams at me and touches the edge of the circle. It glows, and flowers sprout on the lines. I back away at the sight of the monstrosity that is alchemy. I hate alchemy. I hate it!_

"Not really." His voice breaks through her thoughts. For a while, she's almost clueless as to how to respond, before catching herself, inwardly scolding at herself angrily. She may have known him in the past, but that was then, and this is now, and she certainly doesn't know him anymore. The state alchemist stares dully at him, taking in his appearance. Apart from the messy obsidian-black hair that he keeps swept to either side of his face, and those bright green eyes, he is barely recognizable from the boy he once was. He has grown taller, of course; it's been six years since she last saw him, and skinny as well—skinny to the point of being unhealthy. He wears a plain white button-down shirt and trousers under a long black coat with blue lining. He's still handsome, but there's something in those laughing eyes that suggests he's seen too much. Still, the open book in his lap gives her hope that he hasn't changed too much.

"I'll have to ask you to leave the premises at once." She finally drones, shoving her hands into her pockets. Her left makes contact with the cool metal of her pocketwatch, and she closes her fist around it.

"No thanks." He flashes that cheerful smile again and shrugs, going back to reading. Any other officer would have been perturbed by such disrespectful behavior, but Elena is unmoved.

"Allow me to rephrase." She says calmly. "You will leave immediately, or I will have to take you under arrest for breaking and entering."

The dark-haired man sighs and closes the book, rising to his feet. "What's the big deal about my being here, anyways? Information like this shouldn't be kept from the people; we all deserve to know. Don't you agree?" He asks. His cheerful expression remains, almost as though it's plastered there, but he has also suddenly grown serious, staring at her straight in the eye.

Elena merely sighs. Rather than giving him an answer, she simply states, "I do not make the laws, I simply restate and obey them. Now leave."

The intruder sighs and mutters something about people changing before turning away from her. "Fine; I guess I'll see you around." He mumbles, walking away. There's still a restricted book held in his hand, however, and due to this Elena gives the smallest of sighs.

She seems almost exasperated as she reaches to grab the book from the young man. "I meant without thi—" She suddenly freezes, as he grabs her wrist and flips her hand over to reveal the transmutation circle tattooed on her palm. Her eyes widen slightly and she immediately pulls away, shoving her hands into her pockets. She's clearly more distressed than earlier, if only by a small amount.

The male grins widely, reminiscent of a little kid on Christmas. "I knew it was you." He says cheerfully. "Do you remember me, Elena Bloodstone?"

How could I not. The woman thinks, but chooses to instead look him dead in the eye and lie. "No, I do not." She says. Remembering him would be too dangerous; it could halt her plan. It's necessary for her to remain emotionless, she tells herself. Emotionless people don't have friends. And besides—

"_You're a killer. You don't deserve friends, let alone emotions." _

She couldn't ever let herself forget.

His smile slips into a frown before he quickly recovers it. Now, though, there is a little confusion to it; a little disappointment. Perhaps he knows she's lying, she thinks, or maybe he just doesn't know how she would forget. "Come on, Elena. We were friends at school…"

She stares at him dully; reactionlessly. She hates acting this way sometimes, but even now it feels absolutely necessary. "I never had a friend when I attended school, at least not to my memory. I certainly have never met you."

He gives a resigned sigh. "I see. Well, it was nice seeing you again." He mumbles and shelves the restricted book, before walking away in long strides. With every left footfall, she hears a clanking, metallic sound, and it causes her to wrinkle her nose in confusion. She's sure that Dante doesn't have automail. At least, he certainly didn't the last time she saw him.


	2. Chapter 2

**WOW, SO MUCH FEEDBACK AND IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN **

**I love you all /weeps you reviewers are what makes this great ;o; /hugs to all **

Elena walks into the military cafeteria and gets herself a tray of food. Skillfully balancing it and her four books, she walks silently through the mass of blue-uniformed men and women until she finds an empty tale, where she sits calmly. She opens a book and starts to eat as she reads through the alchemic notes, quickly translating the code she's known since she was only seven.

It's not long before a tray is set on the table, right to her left. Immediately she shifts herself almost unnoticeably, blocking the book from the newcomer's view. "So you're the Stone Blood Alchemist, right?" The person asks, the smell of nicotine accompanying the male voice and making her eyes sting. It takes all her self control not to rub them, and to continue on as though she hadn't noticed.

"Yes, that would be me." She drones, not looking up from her book. She already knows that the stranger is male, and finds no great importance in his appearance, so she doesn't see any point in looking at him as she speaks.

"You're a lot cuture than I expected. I mean, from the rumors you sounded… dull." He says. "I mean—not that I think that, it's just—"

"I am not offended, sir." She says bluntly, interrupting his rambling before it can get too far.

He breathes out, as though relieved, and yet again the smell of smoke washes over Elena. She sighs and finally looks up at the man beside her. It's a short-haired, blonde male, grinning a smile that reaches even his bright blue eyes. A cigarette is balanced carefully between his teeth, and he's turned slightly towards her, as if that will cause him to have more of an effect on her or something.

"Sir, my apologies, but I am trying to eat, and the smell of cigarette smoke is quite unappetizing." She drones blandly, staring at him with her discomfiting, emotionless expression.

The man blinks and pulls out his cigarette, stomping it out under his foot. "Sorry. My name's Havoc, by the way. Jean Havoc." Again he gives her that friendly smile.

She nods blankly. "I am Elena Bloodstone." She does not say anything more, but rather returns to her book and continues reading.

Still, Havoc persists in his attempt to have a conversation with her, though by now he has grown hesitant, perturbed by her emotionless responses. "You and I should go get a drink sometime…" He says hopefully. "I'd love to get to know you better." Then he gives her a charming smile, though she does not see it, keeping her head turned to her book.

"I'm sorry, but I am very busy." She turns him down without a moment's hesitation, immediately shattering his confidence.

"B-but you must have some time off? You can't always be busy?" He splutters.

The female alchemist sighs and turns a page in her book. Without any sort of warning, she deadpans, "I have no interest in getting a drink with you, be it as a date or as friends."

"Wow, you really are stone-faced, aren't you." Havoc sighs in disappointment. He stands and lights a new cigarette with a shrug. "See you around, Bloodstone." He walks back to his friends, as Fuery discreetly hands some money over to Breda. It's a shame he chooses to leave when he does, because just moments later emotion crosses Elena Bloodstone's normally blank face: fear, as she finds exactly what she'd hoped not to see.

-.-.-.-.-

Elena Bloodstone lives alone, in a two-story house in one of the friendly neighborhoods of Central. Her house is as bland and lifeless as herself, inside and out. She takes care of her lawn, but never bothers to grow anything; no flowers or other plant life; it's all plain grass. Inside, it's contemporary and personality-less, with bland yellow walls free of decoration and dark wooden floors. The furniture, too, remains boring, the living room holding a yellow couch that matches the walls, with a few yellow and blue plaid pillows for comfort rather than style.

The same theme fills the rest of the house. Were anyone to visit, they would learn nothing more about Elena Bloodstone than they would by looking at her. Indeed, it might be possible to say that they would learn even less.

It is in this lifeless house that Elena sits by a fireplace, carefully burning the four books that she'd obtained only hours earlier. Each had contained the information she'd hoped not to find, and therefore she had to destroy the evidence.

Elena sighs, watching the pages curl up as they burn slowly. I'm going to take care of it, Mom." She mumbles to no one. "I'm going to get rid of this wretched alchemy, even if it kills me."

_You did this, Elena." The dark-haired man grinned as he stood over me. My father had often claimed that we could be siblings; our hair and eyes match in color, and we're both naturally pale. "You killed her. Aren't you proud?" _

Elena shakes her head, dispelling her thoughts; she refuses to think of him. "He's in jail now, he can't do anything." She says aloud, as though voicing her thoughts will comfort her more. She picks up the last of the books she'd taken from the library and sets it in the fire. Watching it burn, she can only hope that someday all of the journals will be gone, and she can finally resign from the military.

_I was seven when I first used my alchemy, and I had no idea what I was going to do. My father had been training me in the basic laws of alchemy for the past two years, and now, on my birthday, he claimed that I was finally really to become an official alchemist. I was excited at the idea, being the naïve girl that I was. _

_I didn't know the man who answered the door when we reached the strange house, but my father greeted him like an old friend. He was a teenager; he couldn't have been more than ten years older than I was, and yet my father showed him respect, something I'd never even seen him give my mom. "Elena, this is Solf, my student. You are to refer to him as Mr. Kimblee." I nodded at my father's stern command, but something felt off. There was something too cold in this stranger's grin, something that set me on edge and made me want to go home. I should have run then. _

_Mr. Kimblee led us inside, and my father brought up the rear. Then, I didn't think anything of it, but now I know enough to tell that they were making sure I didn't try to back out. We went into a basement, and Mr. Kimblee started to whistle. The tune was creepy, and gave me chills. _

_He continued to whistle as we walked into this basement. My father locked the heavy metal door behind him, which I thought was strange. _

_The room was almost empty. There was a metal table, on top of which were books and a few notes. I could see alchemic symbols drawn neatly on some of the pages from where I stood. There was also a stool, and a second door. My father pointed at the stool. "Sit." _

_I turned to him; where moments ago, his voice had been cheerful and calm, it had suddenly grown cold and hard, and it frightened me. I was even more confused to find his expression was the same. "What?" I asked, confused. "Daddy, what's going on?" _

_His expression grew colder, and he didn't explain. "I said sit, and not another word, Elena!" He snapped. _

_I sat, confused. Had I done something wrong? I was intensely aware of everything; Mr. Kimblee's whistling, my father's muttering as he pulled on a leather bracelet with a transmutation circle, going through the notes, and even a strange sound coming from the second door. _

_And then my father came back to me, holding a jar of ink. "Hold out your hands." He demanded. _

"_Daddy, what are you—"_

_My father slapped me suddenly, surprising me into silence. "Did I say you could speak? Now hold out your damned hands!" _

_Teary-eyed, I obeyed. He smeared ink over them and activated the circle on his bracelet. The ink sank into my skin, stinging painfully, and took on shapes, forming a transmutation circle on each of my palms. I stared at them in wonder and looked up at my father. "Daddy—"_

_Again my father slapped me, yelling over Mr. Kimblee's whistling. "God damn it, Elena, I told you to shut up, now shut the fuck up!" He snapped, and gave an exasperated sigh. "I want you to go into that room." He pointed at the door I'd noticed earlier. "There's a person in there. I want you to concentrate on them and on the stone around you, and activate your alchemy. Understood?" I nodded, and he sent me in. _

_I should have refused. I should have realized what would happen. _

Elena washes her empty plate, having just finished dinner. She puts the clean plate away and sighs, walking upstairs towards her rom. Four of the research journals containing her alchemy are now gone. As she goes to bed, she can't help but wonder how many more there are to find.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ughhhh **

**well it's ok **

**not like I wanted and I hate the ending but... meh **

**here you go, sorry for the wait ^^; I really need to get better at updating quickly **

Another day, another book or job, another night. Nothing ever changes for the young state alchemist. Everything is always the same, and it's grown dull to her. She walks through the streets in the morning towards work alone, and a car slows down beside her. At first, she shows it no regard, until the driver rolls down the window and calls to her. "Oi, Stone Blood!"

Elena turns to see Lieutenant Colonel Hughes in the driver's seat of the car, which has now come to a stop as he's turned to talk to her. "Yes, sir?" She asks in a formal tone.

He casts her a cheery smile, ignoring the dull monotone. "Care for a life? We're both headed to the same place, and it's dangerous as of late for a state alchemist to be walking the streets alone, especially one as young as yourself."

Elena sighs and shoves her hands into her pockets, quickly debating in her mind the pros and cons of accepting a ride to work from this man. It's not long before she's joined him, sitting stiffly in the passenger's seat as he drives on. "How how've you been?" Hughes asks in an attempt to start a conversation.

"I have been well, sir. I trust that you have as well?" She responds in her usual drone, putting a slight damper on the man's attempts.

He isn't stirred, but rather gins broadly. "Oh, yes. My little girl did the cutest thing yesterday! She wanted to play in the pool, but…" As Hughes rambles on about his family, Elena gazes out the window quietly, her hands in her lap. To anyone else, it may have seemed as though she were ignoring them, but Hughes picks up on the faint sings; the distant look in her eyes, and the way she relaxes ever-so-slightly, a strange sort of half-smile playing on her lips. He stops talking suddenly, causing the young woman to look at him in vague surprise.

"Elena, why do you act like that? Why do you hide your emotions?" The lieutenant colonel asks suddenly.

The state alchemist blinks at the random question. Generally, people don't question whether her emotionless front is real or not. "My apologies, sir, but I am hiding nothing." She says quietly.

Hughes just sighs and shakes his head, driving for a short while in silence. Then he speaks again. "I met a young man about your age once, named Dante Knights. He claimed he knew you. Is it true?" He watches Elena out of the corner of his eye carefully, taking in her reaction curiously.

This time, her change in mood is slightly more distinct. Her face softens, and she lets out a tiny sigh as her hands clench and unclench, her tattoos carefully hidden against the cloth of her uniform. "Yes, it is. We were classmates, once upon a time." She drones. Of course, they were more than just classmates, but this is not a topic she will discuss.

Hughes gives a sigh. "What are you hiding?" He asks Elena once again.

"I have nothing to hide, sir." There is a tightness to her voice that was not there before, as they finally arrive at Central Command.

The lieutenant colonel merely sighs as he parks his car, finally letting the subject drop. Elena and he go from the car to into the building, before going their own ways. As he separates from the young state alchemist, Hughes goes over the conversation he's just had. _Perhaps,_ he muses, _Stone Blood is not so stone-faced after all. _

-o-o-o-

"His alias is Scar, given to him because of the X-shaped scar on his forehead. He's been targeting state alchemists as far as we can tell. He's fast, and he uses alchemy to deconstruct his targets. Do you think you can handle that?" Roy Mustang loads information on the young woman standing before him.

Elena stares back blankly, her face expressionless. "Your intention is to send a state alchemist to take down someone who's attacking state alchemists? Sir, is that not a bit contradictory?" She drones, seeming almost bored as she speaks to her superior.

The colonel raises an eyebrow. "Regular military personnel have proven inefficient against him, and besides, with your skill level and style of alchemy, you should be more than able to take him." He says.

The Stone Blood Alchemist nods. "I see, sir. I will make sure he is taken in." She turns to go without another word.

It isn't hard to find the man named Scar. He's left an easy enough trail to track, and as Elena wears her uniform as she hunts for him, it is not long before he approaches her. This wouldn't be a problem, if it weren't for the fact that the woman has just walked into an alley. It's open-ended, so there are two exits, but the area is still cramped, causing evasion to be that much more difficult. "Another heathen to send to God." The dark-skinned man lunges at the young state alchemist, his right arm outstretched as though to grab her.

The girl dodges narrowly, her blue eyes narrowing as she studies this man's skillful defense. He's strong and fast, and his arm is highly destructive. Still, he's larger, clumsier, and slightly slower than she, so she dodges his attack with grace and skill, her hands shoved into her pockets.

She knows that she could easily end this. All she'd have to do is activate her alchemy. There's plenty of stone around him, and all she needs is direct palm-to-stone contact, and she can reach through it to affect him. If she acts now, she can win.

She does not act, unfortunately. Instead, she continues to dodge, her mind running wildly. Logic tells her to use her alchemy, but every fiber of her being screams not to as well. Her alchemy is sick; repulsive. She believes that even this man does not deserve to be turned into stone.

_I didn't know. _

The man continues to attack her, and even as she dodges him, she can feel herself growing weary. If she doesn't do something soon, she will fall to this man.

_I didn't know my father was going to have me do something so awful. I didn't know it was going to kill her. Too late, I learned what my alchemy would be. I was so nervous when I activated the circle; I concentrated so hard I didn't realize what was going on until I heard her scream. The stranger screamed so loudly, her eyes brimming with tears. _

_I caused those tears. _

Scar's palm collides with the wall next to Elena, blowing it to pieces and knocking her off her feet. She stumbles to the ground, her eyes widening as she looks to him with sharp concern.

_I didn't understand what was going on. I tried to stop, but it was too late… far too late. The transmutation finished. I was left to stare at my handiwork. I'd been tricked into creating a monster. _

Now he comes crashing towards her, and with an expression of grim determination, Elena Bloodstone rolls out of the way. His hand touches and destroys stone, right where her head had just been moments ago.

_The circle wasn't perfect. It turned her into something in-between. My father had been hoping for a perfect statue, but she'd only become a partial statue, and in places stone had cracked and ripped through her, leaving her innards and blood to pour onto the floor. Her eyes were still wide, her stone-specked face taught with fear. I was horrified; I had done this. _

Elena's hands slip out of her pockets as she rises to her feet, panting breathlessly. The fight has worn her out, and she is nearing the end of her endurance. She has to finish this fast, and yet still she can't bring herself to use her alchemy.

The scarred man flexes his tattooed arm. "Bow before the wrath of God." He says coldly, before charging at her. She raises her hands, her eyes wide.

_Would I be willing to kill again?_

She's pretty sure she knows the answer, and it seems that she may be facing her last fight, before suddenly a sword moves between her and her attacker, slicing at the dark-skinned man. The blade cracks, and Scar pulls away, blood dripping from his wounded hand. The strange intruder kicks at him now, an automail leg slicing through the air dangerously close to the serial killer's neck.

Scar backs away and glares as she cloaked figure attacks with the sword now. The former immediately drops to the ground, the blade slicing over his head. He destroys the ground, before making his get-away quickly, knowing his chances of winning this fight now are low.

The intruder turns to Elena, pulling down his hood to reveal obsidian-black hair and bright green eyes. "You know," he smiles at her, "if you keep acting reckless like that, you'll die before I get to take you on a date."

The young state alchemist merely sighs, as she shoves her hands back into her pockets. "I do not care to go on a date with you, so that doesn't really matter." She says in a dull monotone, looking in the direction her target fled and debating vaguely whether it would be worth it or not to chase after him.

Dante sighs and shakes his head before giving her a cheerful grin. "For now." He says. "I'm not giving up on you any time soon, though."

The Stone Blood Alchemist gives a small shake of her head and starts to walk away, behaving as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened; as though she hasn't nearly died or anything else in between.

"H-hey, where are you going?!" The man follows after her, and she sighs.

"Home. I'll continue my work tomorrow." She drones.

Dante winces, as though bothered by the fact that she's just leaving. "Can't we even hang out for a little bit?" He asks of her in a pleading tone.

The young woman turns to him, her blue eyes blank as she shoves her hands into her pockets. "You are the Stray Alchemist—a thief. If I were to 'hang out' with you, as you wish, my job would be at stake." She drones.

He blinks in surprise. "There's no proof that I'm a criminal, though!" He protests defensively.

Elena shakes her head. "I caught you in the act. You should consider yourself lucky that I haven't simply turned you in as it is. Good day." She turns and walks away.

Despite the fact that she reveals no emotion whatsoever, Elena Bloodstone's heart is beating fast, and her palms, hidden in her pockets, have grown sweaty. It takes all of her self-control not to run back to her old friend, but rather to remain cold and distant. _If only things had gone differently_, she thinks with a quiet sigh, _and it were okay for me to respond_.

She knows full well that this is foolish, wishful thinking, but she can't help but think it regardless.


End file.
